Hello folks, lets get this out of the way first. Man of Steel was EPIC. And no one can argue that much, but was it Super?
The answer is yes.
To start off I will tell you about my introduction to Superman. When i was 6 or 7 My mom bought me the Fleisher Superman cartoons on VHS. I had Superman pajamas and with them I learned to ride my first bike. I loved him in the cartoons and everything. However, Superman Returns completely alientated me. I got rented it on DVD when it came out excited to see Superman in a live action film again! However, it was so boring that I fell asleep. I tried rewatching it, but it bored me to TEARS. From then on I HATED Superman and everything he stood for. I completely hated him and DC. Until one Day I picked up more DC comics than Marvel, and started realizing, maybe DC wasn't so bad. So i started watching DC animated flicks. Thats when I i decided to rent Superman: Doomsday. I just wanted to see Superman DIE! It was immature of me yes, but I hated him so much. However, i liked him in the movie. I started watching Super/Batman movies. And the Justice League movies, and then I picked up a copy of Superman: Earth One. I was blown away. I loved it. From then on I was a Superman fan again.
When I heard Man of Steel was coming out, saw the pictures, saw who directed it, I was ecstatic. Say what you want about Snyder, but homeboy is awesome at action. So I waited 3 years. Then the movie finally came out. and I gotta say. It BLEW ME AWAY!
The Story was na origin story, but not in the usual since. We got his origin in Flashback. we saw him as an Adult, then flashes to him as a kid. Honestly, it was refreshing. Most Origin stories make you wait and wait and wait for him to finally put on the suit, or to finally start saving people. But right after the Krypton sequence we get Supes in action. I loved that he traveled the world saving people. and trying to figure out where he is from.
By the way the Krypton scene was abeautiful peice of Science fiction you dont really see anymore. A good set up for who Jor-El is and who Zod is and what both of their motivations are. A great fricken story man. Krypton Explodes as per usual and we are off on our adventures with Superman.
Now, here is where it really got me. The critics don't understand the film. And here is why. All they know is the 1979 version of Superman. I feel they really didn't Superman was a comic book character who had different interpretations over time. Also the fact that some claim it is a remake of Superman the movie, which makes no since at all. If it were a remake it would be a remake of Superman II which had Zod as the main VIllain. They say we focus on Superman too much, but he is in it very little. He IS in it in a big bad way, but we do have SMALL character moments for different people like Perry White who is the skeptic who learns the truth and has to face that. As well as Lois Lane who doesn't take shit from anyone and actually takes control of the situation sometimes. and YES she does get "saved" by Superman many times. But hell, there are just some Situations where you cant save yourself. Like IDK falling out of a [frick]ing airplane or plummeting to your death in broke escape pod. When she gets powers that allows her to do that, let me know. Colnel Hardy also goes through a character arc from not trusting Superman to gaining enourmous respect for him.
The themes of the Film are Hope and Inspiration. Kal-El is seen as hope for the Human race. He can lead them towards a better tommorrow. he can also inspire them to be heroes themselves. Like Perry, who seems not to really care for people tries to save Jenny Olsens life when clearly he could die trying. He inspires several people thrughout the film to keep being better people.
His relationship with Jonathan was touching. I teared up many times in the film Especially when He asks "Can't I just keep pretending to be your son" and Jonathan Replies, "You are my son" and hugs him. And the Tornado scene really shows that Kal-El gets his good naturedness from his father. His father makes a sacrifice for him. If other people saw that Clark saved him, they would know, yes Clark is fast, but there are so many eyes on him that questions would be brought up.
I thought the subtle call backs throughout the film were great, especially with Pete Ross, you get comments in passing about who he is and where he works, then he shows up in the IHOP scene, and it all felt like something out of a comic book it was great.
The Fight scenes were top notch. Done well. And paced throughout the film well. The way Critics make it seem is that at the end there is just a 45 minute brawl between Zod and Superman, when that isn't the case. Their are dramatic breaks throughout and the film and it is excellent. All of the fight scenes were choreographed well, and the comparisons to Micheal Bay are Ludicrous. It clearly distinguished who is fighting, what movies they are doing and how much damage is being done. The action cuts are not bad.
Zod was an interesting character, instead of turning him into a power man villain being taking over the world (of Course) they make him a man who would do anything to save his race. Even if it meant the destruction of Another. and in way Superman is faced with the same issue. Does he get rid of the last survivors of Krypton so he can be with his people, or does he save his new home.
Also: *Spoiler Warning*
Zod's death was done well. Often times we see a villain killed out of some mistake or something of their own doing, but the superhero RARELY directly takes them out. This ending is controversial because people say Superman doesn't kill. And while people may have been killed in the fight, it was bound to happen. Zod had already wiped out most of the area they were fighting in and had the upper hand most of the time, so Superman had no choice than to fly through windows when he was punched into them. However, Supes does not kill Zod in cold blood, or for revenge. He does so because Zod is about to wipe out a family with his heat vision. Zod is still stronger than him and Superman can't stop him, so he does the only thing left that will stop the violence and destrucstion. And that is to Snap Zod's neck. But you knwo, if you rather him let and INNOCENT FAMILY DIE so that he doesnt break a no killing code then I guess you have no heart.
The soundtrack on this film was brilliant and I loved it so much I bought it.
Another critic complaint was the fact that the film was humorless. I don't see how that is possible, it has great comedy moments that are not Juvenile or mean spirited in any way, like in transformers. Ever since Avengers and IM3 came out Critics think that all Superhero movies need to be action comedies. However, they don't need to be. The humor was used as comic relief, as where IM3 has dramatic relief.
All the actors are Wonderful and Henry Cavill is the splitting image of Superman.
If i had any negatives it would be that Faora is not in it that much, and she was awesome. Also this might be a nitpick but How was their a Superman suit in a 20,000 year old space shit. I do believe since they put out posts on other worlds it is natural that the family symbol would be on it. The clor sceme is odd, unless that was the scheme for scouts on other planets.
Overall the film blew me away and the critics are just idiots. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.